Ethical Dilemmas in Social Work - Personal Experience
Introduction
This is one of the ethical dilemmas in social work essays where I will explore some ethical dilemmas I had during placement. I will be highlighting on a case that I dealt with as a form of my learning and development. I will be working on a number of sub-heading within the essay to enable me to explore the topic. First, I will be explaining the meaning of ethical dilemma in social work practice, what was the organisational constraints that I faced in implementing changes in dealing with this case. I will also mention some of the anti-discriminatory practice encountered in my practice. I will also explore how my own culture and values on one hand, and the policy framework on the other hand led to my decision making within the case and its outcome in terms of the social work practice.
I will identify with a particular service user, whom I will call JK, this is due to confidentiality and professional practice guidelines. According to the BASW Code of ethics, a social worker has to protect the confidentiality of all information obtained during the course of professional services. Hence, comply with the rules on confidentiality.
What is Ethical Dilemma
According to Reamer, ethical dilemmas are conflicts that arises when two or more ethical principles clashes. This identifies that the ethical dilemmas arise due to challenges between a person’s belief and professional values. The aspect of questioning and concerns of the social work , in relation to practice obligation, which is considered to be morally right or wrong when carrying out your practice with a service user on decisions that have to be made.
Placement
I did my placement in a a private organisation for Looked After Children and Asylum seekers that are cared for by social services. The organisation provides a semi- supported accommodation for young people within the ages of 16 – 25 years. Care can sometimes be extended over 25 years, if it is deemed necessary for the development of the young adults in care by their local authority and Personal Assistant (PA). This organisation offers direct work with all young residents in their care through key working sessions. This enables the staff to engage and help routinely check on the progress and development of the residents, thus, monitor their day to day living and social skills such as: personal hygiene, training, educational skill, procurements , medical appointments and other statutory meetings that are in their care plan. This is intended to help the residents in their personal development when they finally move out of the housing facility to live independently. Before young people are accepted as a match into the facility, an assessment is carried out under the legislation Sec 17 and the Sec 47 where all the necessary information is gathered to identify if there is the likelihood of significant harm or likelihood to suffer. The ability for a social worker to understand the use of an Assessment framework is very critical in decision making.
Cases Review
The case I will be referring to is that of a key working session with JK. I have been working with JK for some time now during my placement. JK is in the facility due to concerns about his involvement with underaged girls and use of indecent sites on the internet. Within his probational rules he has been told not to go to these sites as this leads him into the temptation of getting in touch with underaged girls. A PEP review was organised due to his non-attendance at college, hence my meeting to review his progress. I was to write a report for all professionals at the meeting on behalf of the organisation. It was during our key working sessions that JK told me he had sold a backlisted phone which he bought on line on a contract to an elderly man in the area through Facebook and was scared the man will be coming after him as the phone could be traced back to the accommodation address and the police might be involved. Secondly, he had a girlfriend from this site that he had been chatting with and is becoming closer to her. When I questioned him further about the site and the girl, he said they were friends. He then told me, he goes to college to eat the free lunch that was provided by the school bursary support but did not want me to mention this to anyone, as he was confiding in me.
On hearing this from JK, I reflected on my own personal values, ethics and moral norms as a way of life, what I hold valuable and the professional value in relation to James education and personal safety. This according to Compton et al., values are concepts that provides the basic philosophy in social work practice and underpins practice. This made me reflect on how these values are enshrined in the guidance of professional ethics, which underlies the code of practice.
Our personal value on the other hand, is the belief which reflect the status of what we regard as valuable or worthy but with professional value, its ethical principles relating to how people should be treated ,what action or idea is worthy or not and right or wrong.
In reflecting on my own values and personal perception, I thought of the curiosity around young people’s romantic relationship at this stage of their lives and the extent to which they are willing to go. This I outline with my education as my main priority when growing up hence taking my studies very seriously and putting all other influences aside. This I think has a bearing which has shaped my thought. Likewise, in thinking about the kind of risk that JK is taking in going to this unapproved site. I looked at the wider context in relation to the operation of value such as organisational, community and the professional to be able to mindful in my judgement as according to Jordan, ‘moral issues haunt social work’, but value commitments ad ethical principles can be said to be core of the profession.
The ethical dilemmas I encounter in this case were disclosing confidential information without client’s consent in terms of his safety, education and risk involved.
I had to think about what confidentiality was in relation to this issue, the rights to client privacy (safeguarding), how I could maintain this, what are the basic principles involved and the rule of law in relation to the information share.
As a social worker student, I have the duty of care by being responsible to JK in the information given, in practice I needed to respect client privacy by keeping the information shared confidential, by laws and professional judgement I am to share the information due to the risk element involved. Social work is considered as a human service where service users’ best interest is sorted through the use of knowledge and expert knowledge, hence I was challenged in distinguishing between the technical and ethical judgement which was not straightforward in this case.
In the session, I had to keep an open minded and mindful in choosing my words not to appear too judgemental, as proposed by Healy, respect and dignity is essential value in social work during assessment and intervention. I communicated in a way that was up front with him through my assessment. According to Adam et al. in informed professional judgement one needs has to be mindful of words used. Even though it was my duty of care to promote the interest of JK in this case, I had to explain to JK that, any information that is being share by him, if I deemed it necessary as a risk to himself or me and others, this will be shared with the relevant authorities. I thought this could it be a factor for him not to tell me what was going on or make him stop. This I did by exploring the professional ethic. I had to adopt the method of communication that involved me giving him the space to talk whiles I actively listen by putting down some useful points which would easily be referred. I politely stopped him to get my supervisor in so that information given will be a first-hand, which I thought had to be dealt with by the authority.
Due to the sensitive nature of information being shared, the use a personal centred approach was used to address the issue regarding his support and what could be done by being honest in my representation to him in indicating the risk involved, boundaries and whom this information had to be shared with.
In my placement I was taken through safeguarding training (online and induction) and supervision in understanding some of the behaviours of young people especially those prone to risk. Through the use of supervision, it was established that this was not the first case with JK in this respect. He had previously been involved in a similar situation, albeit he suffered no consequence or boundary limits.
Professional and Organisational Constraints During Change Implementation
The constraints faced regarding the case were organisation and culture expectations in terms of accountability, assessment and managing the risk in the decision making through communication and later behaviour. After the investigation had been carried out with both JK and the phone shop, there was no form of sanction outlined within the networking laws. It was explained that, if a phone is blocked then cannot be used, hence, no cost incurred but JK could later be charged with a public order offence under Sec. 3 Criminal Law Act if the money was not returned to the buyer. Within the intervention, I found the system promoted routine bureaucratic responses in addressing and managing the process of labour in professional practice. Thus, I was not prepared for the outcome result as I found this issue to be serious and if no action is taken, could lead to repeat behaviour. During supervision I explained to my supervisor my intervention plan and came up with a safety plan for JK as he was scared of what might happen next. JK had to inform his father as he used his father’s details to obtain the phone in the first place before selling it on. My plan also involved working with his social worker to best resolve the refund issues. Suggestions raised he can pay this through his ELA money or from his savings account. One of my observation was, one cannot predict young people’s behaviour.
Anti-Discriminatory Practice
I worked in a discriminatory by identifying the barriers between me and JK. In the engagement I had to be mindful of the language used and the level of understanding between us. This I did by explaining all information to JK. I had to be mindful of the organizational procedures in working the him as this could be indirectly a form of oppression when care is not taken. I made sure that I got the consent of JK and the other professional involved in this care before any information was share. I also respected the wishes and feelings of JK during the process so not to appear in an oppressive manner, hence not marginalising his potentials and strengths.
Challenges Personal and Professional Values
In working the first challenge was the promotion of interest of the service user by respecting his privacy and dignity. I found this very challenging since I needed his consent for any information to be shared and by not discriminating his views and opinions that he had. I was also bound within the relationship to be professional by adhering to the organisational policy on information sharing and gathering when working with young people. Even though all professionals involved in his care had been told and there was a follow up multi-agency meeting (PEP), where these issues were discussed and support strategies put in place, it was quite difficult for the placement to get update on his attendance at college due to the GDPR form he signed regarding information sharing. As a student my powers were limited. I had to communicate appropriately by being concise and describing the relevant details within the case in my report writing.
How Did I Manage the Complex Issues the Work Generated?
Social workers apply theory in practice to help understand the client’s world. In applying the ecosystems theory, it provides the benefit of identifying influences beyond a person through interaction with the surrounding environments. This made me think about B.F. Skinner’s behavioral theory (system of reward and punishment responses). the use of operant behaviour of condition, positive and negative reinforcement. He believes that behaviour is modified through changing consequence and the use of control provides check in behaviour. By using motivational interviews and crisis intervention, I was able to work with JK.
Through supervision I was able to discuss my challenges within the case by understanding the use of complexity theory in relation to professional practice through the use of self . This included suggestions, sharing of ideas and experiences from staff.
I also helped to sign post JK to a local charity that deals with keeping young people safe and out of trouble. Through interventions and daily work with him I was able to encourage and empower by shedding lights on his education helping him with a basic college lessons he was struggling with. I also took it upon myself to gain knowledge on JK so to help in his support.
In my representation, I was honest to JK by explain what the issue was and its outcome, I tried to communicate appropriately by respecting his concerns and updating him on any new information that he needed to know. as a student , even though I worked within my limits I showed empathy in promoting his interest. I was able to recognize and take opportunity for work delegated to me by helping in managing risk that was associated to the case, through my report writing and reporting any concerns that I had earlier on.
Justification of Decision Made
In the case, any decision I made I always discussed and sort approval from my supervisor and other senior staff during supervision. I justified my decision by allowing JK to see that this behaviour is not acceptable and if care is not taken could lead to a higher risk in the future. I also explained the importance of being active and more engaging in his college and placement activities, thus, planning more outdoor activities with him on his day off by using his strengths and interest to get him involved in social events that relate to his needs. In college, I tried to always see if his support plan was still in place.
Professional Judgement
Through self-awareness I was able to identify the boundaries within my practice. I had to know my limits as a student on learning and the organisational policy in relation to working with young people. This case was a difficult one , since it was not clear what the right course of action is due to the trust by JK in me. Through supervision I was able to justify my plans and action by explaining the befits and reasons behind JK developments and independent skills as a means of keeping safe and adhering to his probational rulings. I outline the use of personal support and more key working sessions in order to keep him active and empowered in taking initiatives on his own by deciding what we need to do in each session. For example, cooking, baking, shopping and sometime attending event at school together. Through research I was able to understand some of his behaviours and fears which enabled me to work closely with him.
Conclusion
Within my assessment I had to consider and reflect on the kind of support that is available to JK because he was under the local authority’s care Sec 31. I reflected on the capacity of JK. During assessment and intervention, one needs to consider the capacity of the client, I looked at the Mental capacity Act, which indicate that the Act is applicable to people aged 16 years and above, hence, it is assumed one has the mental capacity unless otherwise stated. In Mental health Act which provides the legal framework for young people with Gillick competence.
Through interventions and assessment, I looked at the policies and laws in relation to the care of young people from the ages of 16-25 years. I looked at the child protection systems in England which aims to ensure that care received is of high quality.
I looked at Department of Education on reducing criminalization among young people in care and the NICE quality of standard in meeting best practices for social workers. Within my research, I came across the Children And Social Work Act, 2017, which identifies the local authority as the co-operate parent and has all the parenting principles and responsibilities in the support for all young people in their care – in the law there are different care that falls under this. Through learnings and supervision, I was able to understand how, when and where these laws apply in the care of young people and their families, which is very important as this is within their rights and privileges.
The above legislation has had a great impact on my learnings and practice by understanding the organisational policies and professional practice within the care and support for young people/
